Lowering the drinking age.

LOWERING THE DRINKING AGE

It is legal for eighteen year-olds to die for their country,

it is legal for eighteen year-olds to marry, and it is legal for

eighteen year-olds to vote. Why then isn't it legal for eighteen

year-olds to drink? I don't think that is right, and I believe

that the drinking age in the United States should be lowered from

twenty one years of age, to eighteen.

For the most part, the drinking age does not deter young

people from drinking. Studies have shown that lowering the legal

age slightly increases the frequency that people drink, but not

the number of people who drink; people who do not drink before

the legal age is lowered do not drink afterward. (Wechsler 142)

What it does do, however, is push young people to find places to

drink where they won't be caught. Often this means drinking out

in the woods at a hunting camp, or drinking around a bonfire in

the middle of a field.

Map of the world showing the legal age for purchas...

English: U.S. Army Sergeant Kornelia Rachwal gives...

Legal drinking age poster

I think it would make more sence for them

to be able to drink supervised, in a bar or club, where there is

less danger for injury.

Another reason I think that the drinking age should be

lowered is because it pushes young people to find alternatives to

drinking. Often these alternatives are recreational drugs and

narcotics. Many of these drugs are more addictive than alcohol,

and most of these drugs are more dangerous. I think most adults

would rather have their young people drink a glass of beer than

shoot up.

Many people think that the drinking age should stay at

twenty one. These people believe that people under the age of

twenty one are not mature enough to handle the responsibility

that comes with drinking. The answer to that is that there...